Folding classification table



June 24, 1952 o. s. ALLBRITTON 2,501,357

FOLDING CLASSIFICATION TABLE Filed Sept. 4, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET lINVENTOR. Owen Sampson Allbrfiron BY M ATTORNEYS.

June 24, 1952 o. s. ALLBRITTON 2,601,357

FOLDING CLASSIFICATION TABLE Filed Sept. 4, 1947 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 OwenSampson Aubritcon BY FAA, M,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 24, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDINGCLASSIFICATION TABLE Owen Sampson Allbritton, Clearwater, Fla.

Application September 4, 1947, Serial No. 772,137

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to folding table structures and has particularrelation to a folding table provided with a compartmented table top foruse in classifying and sorting checks, deposit slips, charge slips,paper money and the like in assembled and stacked relationship. Thetable of the present invention is so constructed that a pair ofcooperating duplicate tables may be internested together in collapsedposition so as to define a substantially rectangular package.

Business offices such as banks and the like often require a classifyingand sorting operation for alphabetically arranging papers such ascorrespondence, checks, deposit slips, chargeslips, paper money and thelike. This classifying and sorting operation is generally performed inconnection with the opening and closing of the business day and it hasgenerally been considered inefficient from a space standpoint to providea permanent working space for this operation. Moreover, presentclassifying and sorting compartmented working spaces, such as tables andthe like, have a horizontal top which causes the papers, checks, and thelike, to pile up in irregular fashion so that they must be stacked byhand in order to achieve the desired neat and orderly arrangement.

The folding table structure of the present invention generally comprisesa compartmented table top supported at an angle to the horizontal bymeans of a supporting structure. The compartmented top is supported bythe frame in such a position that in normal use the table top isinclined at an effective angle to the horizontal so that sheet articles,such as checks and the like, when placed in the compartments will slidedownwardly along the inclined top against the lower sides of thecompartments, into assembled and stacked relationship. In a pre ferredform, two adjacent inner sides of each compartment are provided withsuitable indicia to enable the user to identify the variouscompartments, when the tables are placed side by side with the topsparallel, or are placed with the lower edges adjacent sothat the indiciaappear in the regular and desired order to the user, in either of saiddescribed positions.

The supporting structure generally includes, in duplicate, a supportingstrip secured edgewise to the underside of the table, a long leg pivotedto one side of the supporting strip and a link pivoted at its upperend'to' the opposite side of the supporting strip, a short leg pivotedintermediate its ends to the long leg and pivoted at its upper end tothe lower end, of the link,

the short leg being in the same plane as the supporting strip andadapted when folded to engage against the lower edge of the supportingstrip, the supporting strip being formed to accommodate folding movementof the short leg so that when folded the short leg lies in paralleljuxtaposition with the long leg and with the supporting strip. In openposition, the short leg and its link are locked in straight line,extended position by abutment means which also serve to limit unfoldingof the leg beyond parallel juxtaposition. The tables are so constructedthat duplicate pairs thereof may be cooperatively used and placedtogether in folded position to define a substantially rectangular spacefor storage or shipping purposes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a compartmented foldingtable which is particularly adapted to be used either singly or in pairsfor classifying and sorting checks, deposit and charge slips and thelike, into assembled and stacked relationship.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding table which isadapted to cooperate and internest with a duplicate table in collapsedposition so as to define a rectangular shipping and storing package.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a compartmentedfolding table which is of sturdy construction, which may be readilycollapsed and unfolded in locked position for use and which may becooperatively nested with a duplicate table in folded position into aminimum volume rectangular space for storage and shipping purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding compartmentedtable structure which will enable the user to classify and sort papers,checks and the like, in a desired neat and orderly arrangement in anefficient manner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a compartmentedfolding table which is adapted to be used cooperatively with anotherduplicate table when placed side by side therewith so that the tabletops are parallel or with the lower edges adjacent, the compartmentsbeing provided with substantial indicia in the regular and desired orderto enable the user to identify the various compartments from either ofthe aforementioned positions.

These and other objects of the invention will be readily understood byreference to the following description and accompanying drawings inwhich: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a folding com- 3 partmented tableembodying the present invention shown in open, locked position;

Fig. 2 is a side view showing a duplicate pair of tables embodying thepresent invention folded in cooperative nested relationship for shippingand storage;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the link and locking portionof one of the short legs shown in partially collapsed position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a"dup1i'- cate pair of open, lockedtables embodying the present invention arranged in end to endrelationship for normal use with their lower edges in abutment forsorting sheets having a greater length than width, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective v1ewof 'a table- -struc ture embodying thepresent invention shown in collapsed or folded position. 7

Referring now to the drawings showing a; pre-- ferred embodiment of thetable structure comprising'the present invention the-table top; I O isprO idedWitHouter compartment'sides I I a'ndinn'er compartment-sides I2, two'i adjacent sides of the compartments being" provided withsuitableindicia, as showm-in'such fashion that the'indicia appear in theregular and desired order from one sideor its adjacent lower' side, Thesup-- portingframe work for-thetabl'e top' includes a pair ofsupporting' strips I 3 'which' 'are secured edgewise and parallel to"the undersideof the table top. The 'bottOmedges" l of the supportingstrips are provided with a recessed portion I 5' and a cuteway portion I6 to the table top. Thepurpose and function of the recessed and cutawayiportions I5 and will be hereinafterdescribed;

A pair of {long legs 'zfl are pivotally mounted at 2I in parallelarrangement at their upper ends to the inner sid'es of the "supportingstrips I3, adjacent an'end thereof." The lower ends-of the long legs2Il' are provided with a: transverse supporting bar lying in the sameplane as the parallel long legs.

Link member's23" are pivotally mounted as at 25, in parallel arrangementat their upper ends'to the outer sides of'th'e" supporting strips I3 atthe outer ends of the'cut-away portions I61 The lower ends of thelinkedmembers=23 are, pivotally connected; as at 25,2adjaoen't' the upper endsoftheshort legs 26onthe' outer sides of the shortlegs; The short legs26am pivotally' mounted; as"at"21, intermediate theirends to the outersides'of thelonglegs 20; The

outer'upper end portions of' th'e'shortlegs126:

are provided with abutment members 26 which cooperate with recesses" 29provided on the inner sides and intermediatetheend'p'ortions of the linkmembers 23 for holding theshort legs-2 5 in open, locked position:A-transverse bar 38 connects the outer lower end portions of the shortlegs in rigid'fa'shion and also 'serves as abutment means for resistingfolding movementof the legs, as will behereinafterdescribed.

Referring now to operation of the present table structure from itsopen;lo'cked position, as shownwhich is parallel movement and tomaintain both pairs of complementary legs in parallelism. In addition,the link and locking arrangement on the upper end of the short legs 26is such that additional weight placed on the table top I0 is transferredthrough the legs 26 downwardly against the pivots 2'? thereby forcingthe abutments 28 into rigid, locking contact in the recesses 29.

The table structure may be readily collapsed by IIlOViIl'gWh upperends-of the short legs 2% toward the upper "ends "of'thelong legs as inscissors fashion. As hereinbefore described, the short legs 26 lie inthe same plane as the supporting :strips I3; The short legs 26, as theyare folded inwardly, are displaced upwardly towardth'e' supportingstrips I3 due to the inward andupward arcuate movement described by thelowerendportions of the link members 7 23. During folding movement theupper ends of the shortlegs 26 fit into the recessed portions I 5ofsupporting -strips i- I37 Upon completion of the-folding operation itwill be. noted :that the short :legs 26-lie in-co-planar contactingjuxtaposition with the lower cut away portions IE5.

of the supporting strips I3, During .thefolding operation the long legs26) pivot towardthe table top until they are in parallel juxtapositionat their lower end portions with the entire length of the short legs26--and are in parallel juxtaposition -attheir upper endportions withthe inner side 'portions of-the supporting strips i3, adjacent thelower-end portions I4. It will also be apparent-that, by'virtueof thepresent construction, the shortlegs 2 6 andthe long legs 2B=1ie inparallel juxtapositionwith each other and alsoliein parallelisznwiththetable top. Thus, in collapsed folded position, the legs- 25! and -26-are in parallelv juxtaposition with each other and their upper endportions arealso in parallel juxtaposition with the-supporting stripsI3, both-sets-'of=legs being parallel-to the table top. In-addition,theupper ends of the shortlegs 26 occupy the spacedefined-by therecessed portions I5 and the; lower cut away portions? of'th'esupporting-strips I3.- It will be notedthat the long .legs 2Il-liein-planes which are parallel and adjacent to the planes occupied bythesupporting strips I3 andtheshortlegs 26; whereas the link members23-lie in planeswhich are.

adjacent the: opposite sides. of the supporting strips I3-andtheir-othersidesare parallelwith the oompartmented, outer sides of the tablestructure.

Folding movementofthe legs beyond'parallel juxtaposition. is preventedbymeans. of abutment bar 30 contacting (the lower. end. portions ofthelong legs: 20-and also bymeans of the leading edges'of the upper ends ofthe short legs 26 abutting inparallelism against the cut away portion"tor the supporting strips I3.

It will be apparentthatthe position ofthe long legs2flandthe=links 23-may be reversed withrespect to the sidesof the supporting strips I3'sothat the long legslu are pivotally mounted on the outer sides-of thesupporting strips I3 and the links are pivotally mounted on the innersides of the supporting strips I3; With this construction; itwill :beapparent that the transverse bar 30 may bemounted on the outer sides ofthe long legs 26.

As hereinbefore. stated, two adjacent inner sides of each compartmentare provided. with.

structures of the present invention are used, the indicia are soarranged that when the tables are placed side by side with the topsparallel (not shown) or with the lower edges in abutment, as shown inFig. 4, the indicia appear in regular and desired order to the user.Thus it will be apparent that by virtue of the present construction anoperator is enabled to sort sheets having greater length than width,such as deposit slips and charge slips, when the tables are placed endto end; that is, with their lower edges in abutment. In addition, when aduplicate pair of table structures are placed side by side with theirtops parallel (not shown) the operator is enabled to sort sheet materialsuch as checks having a greater width than length. It will be understoodthat the above sorting operation also may be accomplished with a singletable structure.

As the sheets of paper are dropped in the various compartments they tendto slide along the inclined bottom of the table top against the lowersides of the compartment in assembled and stacked relationship due tothe inclination of the table top. By virtue of this novel feature of thepresent table structure, the user is readily and conveniently able toassemble and remove the various piles of paper sheets in assembled andstacked relationship. After a duplicate pair of the present tablestructures have been folded and collapsed, as hereinbefore described,they may be internested together in collapsed position so as to define arectangular package, due to the novel construction whereby the long andshort legs when folded extended well beyond the table top to define asubstantially rectangular space into which the compartmented top of theother table fits, with its legs extended over the compartmented top ofthe other table. In this manner, a duplicate pair of tables may beconveniently stored or shipped in a minimum volume of space.

While the invention has been described in a preferred form, it will beunderstood that the invention may be practiced in other forms, fallingwithin the scope of the invention which is intended to be limited onlyby the prior art and as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A folding table, comprising a top, a pair of substantially parallelsupporting strips extending underneath the top, each provided with arecess along its lower edge for a portion of its length, a pair of longlegs respectively pivoted at their upper ends to one side of saidsupporting strips at one end of said supporting strip, a pair of linkspivoted at their respective upper ends to the other side of saidsupporting strips at the other end of said supporting strip, a pair ofshort legs respectively pivoted intermediate their ends to said longlegs and also respectively pivoted near their upper ends to that side ofsaid link which bears against its cooperating supporting strip, wherebyeach shorter leg is oiTset from its cooperating link and is in the sameplane with its cooperating supporting strip, in both extended and foldedpositions, the upper part of each shorter leg being positionable in thesaid recessed portion of its associated supporting strip when in foldedposition, and in such position bears against the lower edge of itsassociated strip and abutment means carried by the connected ends ofsaid shorter legs and said pivoted links, for holding the shorter legsand the pivoted links in alignment.

OWEN SAMPSON ALLBRITTDN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,056,210 Parry Mar. 18, 19131,142,673 Cozzens June 8, 1915 1,939,459 Murray Dec. 12, 1933 1,975,857McKinney Oct. 9, 1934 2,060,367 Flagstad Nov, 16, 1936 2,217,658 DePuyOct. 15, 1940 2,317,036 Doering et al. Apr. 20, 1943 2,354,941 TreitelAug. 1, 1944

